Well... at least empirically I can hear that cleaning the power that goes in has an impact on SQ, therefore, you can suggest that the internal power circuitry is not doing the same job. If it were then it would have no impact to clean what goes in.

yeah, ask Bob Stuart about that too while you're questioning him. i doubt M skimped on something as incredibly basic as power regulators inside their DSPs, esp their flagships, not to mention their basic power cords included w/ all equipment.

but of course, companies like Shunyata will blow lots of cryogenic smoke across quantum mirrors such that after extensively A/B'ing you'll convince yourself into a Schrodinger Cat state, yet keep those milled aluminum shiny footed contraptions bc just maybe -- no -- there must be -- the deep blacks much deeper-- and blacker-- yes--

and i think Bob developing MQA, which is his field of specialty; namely, psychoaucistics, or adding beryllium tweeters is very different than him trying to bend the laws of physics with wires & cables & limiting juice via the dark arts of a co like Shunyata.

& remember this guy that to date no one ever took him up on his offer let alone won that generous prize?:

Thanks for posting this considered review and taking the time to write such an informed report. Funds permitting, I'd go down this route, having previously found benefit from the Isotek Titan mains conditioner. It was superb on source components and the DSP5500s, good with DSP6000 but unfortunately detrimental to DSP8000s. I've been on the look out for a further upgrade to the 8k power supply for some time, in addition to the benefit of dedicated mains spurs/consumer units and dedicated earthing arrangements.

Thanks for taking the time to write up your experiences. I'd missed this thread when it was first posted, but was pointed to it by Guillaume of Shunyata UK.

Based on several other articles and your own tests (plus my own experience of RA cables), I decided to go for a similar setup, but with a single Triton rather than two Denali's (mostly because I was able to pick up a v2 relatively inexpensively on eBay and my budget had already been stretched by the SE upgrades!).

Both Shunyata UK and KJ West One have been really helpful, so my thanks go to both of them too. I should be up and running when the (gratefully received loan) cables arrive at the end of the week and I'll add my thoughts into the mix when they do...

My testing didn't get off to a great start, but only because (overnight) Tidal had got rid of the MQA versions of my key test album (Coldplay, Head Full of Dreams) and I didn't immediately notice that the system was playing the Redbook version of the CD. I can't really blame the cables for not turning a normal CD into MQA quality!

Once that issue had been cleared up (and I'd managed to buy a copy of the album in MQA), all was resolved and it does sound absolutely incredible. My instinct was that clearing up the power would clear up the imaging where up until now there had been some shimmering and the positioning of the lead vocalist seems to either become blurred or continually sway left/right. With the Triton, the sound stage is now absolutely rock solid and the depth is more apparent than it was before.

I should add that, during the testing, I also connected my Roon player directly via the second ethernet port to the 818 (rather than via the switch) and temporarily removed the GISO isolator as I suspected that was probably superfluous. That seems to have been proven an incorrect assumption, as adding the GISO back in not only improved the sound, but showed that running an ethernet cable direct to the 818 is a very beneficial thing to do.

The combined changes (including the upgrade to the SE models) have made this system sound quite incredible. Hats off to both Meridian and Shunyata!

Less of a hats off to Tidal for removing MQA albums when they feel like it.

PS I think it's only fair to add that, as mentioned earlier in the thread, I also have some Russ Andrews cables. I wasn't expecting to hear a difference with these when they arrived and I did, which is what got this whole thing started and I began exploring the various options available to take this to its logical conclusion. Ultimately, it turned out to be an expensive road, but one worth travelling.

I should add that, during the testing, I also connected my Roon player directly via the second ethernet port to the 818 (rather than via the switch) and temporarily removed the GISO isolator as I suspected that was probably superfluous. That seems to have been proven an incorrect assumption, as adding the GISO back in not only improved the sound, but showed that running an ethernet cable direct to the 818 is a very beneficial thing to do

Glad to see yet another positive experience with the Shunyata products and DSP speakers. Of course upgrading to SE is pretty serious as well. Enjoy.

Thank you, I'm extremely happy with the setup now It certainly goes beyond what I had anticipated.

The SE/818v3 combo really is a game changer. That said, people shouldn't underestimate how much of the performance the 818v3 brings to the party - this upgrade (to my mind) really brings the SE's to life.